


The Urge to Hold

by berryrhink



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Eventual Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:27:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29585820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/berryrhink/pseuds/berryrhink
Summary: These events take place immediately following the GMMore of 02/19.Rhett and Link need a sleepover.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	The Urge to Hold

“We should have a sleepover,” Rhett mumbles, his voice low and raspy and dripping with the implications only Link would register. They’re still on the set, and the crew is hustling around them, too busy preparing for the next shoot to notice the way Link’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“You really wanna? Just us?” Link whispers back. His stomach lurches hard- whether it’s from excitement or all of that Mountain Dew, he can’t be sure. There’s a sudden lull in the crew’s conversation, and Link moves in closer just to be sure they aren’t overheard. He knows what jokes would be made if the crew could hear.

Rhett laughs the way he does just for Link- a gentle giggle, soft and easy, his nose wrinkled and eyes closed, and Link melts into his seat, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling, desperately trying to think of anything, anything at all except how cute Rhett looks when he laughs like that. 

“Of course just us,” Rhett says, still just a notch above a whisper. “You got someone else you wanna invite?”

“Nah,” Link answers, too quickly, and Rhett chuckles.

“How about Saturday night? Creative house?”

“Sure,” Link says, giving Rhett a playful wink. “I just gotta ask my mom first and make sure she says it’s okay.”

Link doesn’t need to ask permission to have a sleepover with Rhett- not from his mom, and certainly not from Christy, but Thursday evening arrives and he realizes he still hasn’t mentioned it. He doesn’t want to dwell on why that might be, instead focusing intently on cleaning. He washes dishes, vacuums, and fluffs every pillow in the house to perfection, all while Christy watches with a bemused smile.

“You okay?” Christy asks cheerfully, sidling up behind him as he wraps the vacuum cord around the base. “You’ve been cleaning since you got home.”

“Yeah, I’m good. Actually, I wanna tell you something,” Link reels, dropping the cord to face her. “I’m gonna have a sleepover with Rhett this weekend.”

“I know, Jessie told me.” Christy says, her delight evident. She’s wearing a playful smile and mischievous look in her eye, like a teenage girl who’s just been passed a note in class. For the briefest of moments, Link considers coming clean about it all. He could spill his soul, tell her how he feels, how he’s always felt, and how he knows he will feel forever. Maybe Christy would understand, would root for him in the way he had only imagined someone would.

He opts for cowardice instead. “Well. Good, then,” is his only response as he turns back to his task. He’s tucking the prongs in between the wrapped cord when Christy gently rests her hand on the small of his back.

“It’s okay,” she murmurs, and before Link can respond she kisses his cheek, turns on her heel and walks back down the hallway, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Friday arrives abruptly, and their mutual schedule is filled with endless meetings and abrasive conference calls. Despite being in the same room, Rhett is keenly aware that he misses Link on days like this. The days they don’t get to play or create seem to drag on endlessly, and he can’t sit still.

They’re in a droning budget meeting, and he’s practically bouncing with unused energy until Rhett decides he’s had enough. He doesn’t want to appear rude, but gosh, he co-owns this company, and after all, who’s gonna stop him from texting at the table? He pulls out his phone and glances up at Link, a wordless communication for him to do the same. Link rolls his eyes in fake, exaggerated annoyance and reaches for his. 

Rhett, 2:26PM  
Hi

Link, 2:27PM  
Hi. Why are we texting?

Rhett, 2:28PM  
Because I miss you.

Link blinks hard, reading and re-reading Rhett’s blunt message. They’ve been so open with each other lately, but this feels new and vulnerable. He quashes the instinct to respond with a joke or a brush-off, opting for bravery he doesn’t quite feel.

Link, 2:30PM  
I miss you too. 

Rhett, 2:31PM  
Can’t wait for tomorrow. 

Link knows he’s blushing and grinning and that he must look for all the world like a schoolgirl in love right now, beaming down at a text. He fights back against the intrusive thoughts telling him to hide his reverent joy.

Link, 2:32PM  
It’s all I can think about.

He hits send and watches Rhett read the message, then set his phone face down on the conference table. Rhett covers a growing smile with his fist, a habit from their school days that never quite faded. For one long and wondrous moment, Link can picture young Rhett- always too tall for his desk, trying and failing to hold back the laughter. He closes his eyes, trying to hold onto the memories, when it dawns on him that he knows exactly what Rhett needs right now.

"Excuse me," Link interjects, and Stevie pauses the presentation. "We need to adjourn. We can pick this up on Monday."

"Is everything okay?" Stevie asks, looking to Rhett, who merely shrugs. They lock eyes, and Rhett is clearly just as confused as the rest of the room.

"Everything's great. But this meeting's over," Link says, and stands from his chair. "The President has spoken."

Link's back in their office, waiting impatiently. He knows Rhett's going to be annoyed, and will most likely chide him for being so rude. He's prepared a solid rebuttal in his mind, one that started forming the moment he stood up from his conference room chair.

Sure enough, right on cue, Rhett opens the door and just stands in the frame for a moment, staring. He's trying to find the words.

"Yes, I know that was rude," Link starts before Rhett can get a word in. "I'll apologize to Stevie on Monday, bring her coffee or a Subaru or something. But it's Friday, and it's 4:30, and you know what that means."

"Uh, I thought we were spending tomo-" Rhett starts, but Link holds up his hand, and he stops mid thought, confused.

"I know it's tomorrow. But it's Friday at 4:30. School's out for the weekend, no homework. Where will we go?" Link says, voice barely above a whisper. He crosses the room, standing only a few inches from Rhett now, and Link watches his best friend's face carefully. The tension subsides. Confusion eases into recognition, and then a broad, whole-hearted smile.

"Really? Where are we going?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Rhett scratches at his chin thoughtfully. Link recognizes that this was a gamble. He will have to explain eventually how one boyish grin from Rhett prompted the need to immediately end the meeting and run, to hit the road and rewind the years. There was no time to waste, but for now, this would be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Em @soho-x for her unwavering love and support and to Jaime @dongdraper for accidentally giving me the title of this little fic. There's more to come!


End file.
